Legislative Ethics Board Complaint Opinions
Type
Complaint Opinion
Date
5/6/2016
Number
2016 - No. 2
Topic
Campaign use of public resources
Respondent
Mark Hargrove
Question/Complaint

​Did Respondent violate RCW 42.52.180 when he included in his legislative newsletter a statement that the long term solution to changing a particular policy was to "...elect legislators and a governor who will not allow such inane policies in Washington State?"

Summary

​A majority of the Board concluded there was no reasonable cause to believe Respondent had violated RCW 42.52.180 because the language, when considered in context with the Governor's policy and the policy of unnamed legislators was directed at a pending legislative issue and was rather ambiguous with regard to a campaign inference.  The Board stated that "Legislators invite ethics complaints when their publications stray from commentary on policy and refer to elections."  Dismissed for lack of reasonable cause.

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